Osteotomes for the removal of bone tissue are known, which comprise a pair of parallel blades, the one slidable onto the other so that a bone fragment may be clamped between respective distal ends of the blades themselves and then removed. The sliding of one blade onto the other is generated directly by a surgeon via a handle formed by two rotatably connected levers, each one integral to a respective blade. By forcing said levers the one against the other, the surgeon actually closes the blades.
Such known-art osteotomes also envisage the interposition of an elastic resisting element between said levers, said element being apt to return the latter—and therefore the blades integral thereto—to the initial resting position when the surgeon releases the levers themselves.
Over the last five decades, the above described known-art osteotomes have been widely used for surgery requiring the removal of bone tissues, like, e.g. spinal, neurological and orthopedic surgery, ear, nose and throat surgery, maxillo-facial and thoracic surgery, and so on.
However, such known-art osteotomes suffer from some relevant drawbacks. In particular, the present invention is based on the observation that such osteotomes, in order to be operated and to produce the removal of a bone fragment, require the exertion of a remarkable force by the surgeon, also due to the fact that the latter should overcome the resistive force of said resisting element. As surgery generally requires a continuous and repeated use of the osteotome, the operation modes of the known-art osteotoms tire the surgeon, and in particular the osteotome-operating limb. Moreover, in the effort of operating the osteotome, the surgeon could impart undesired swinging motions thereto. All of this affects surgery accuracy and safety, and prolongs the related times.